Beverage preservation and distribution can, also usable for the extemporaneous preparation of beverages by extraction and/or infusion

ABSTRACT

The beverage can presents immediately below the lid a first chamber not initially containing beverages ready for use, but intended to receive the final beverage, the first chamber being separated by a sealed baffle from a second chamber which already contains, a drinkable liquid; the sealed baffle presenting a housing constructed to receive a filtering device provided with a tube intended to dip into the interior of the second chamber. Elements are provided to enable the consumer to dispose the filtering device in the utilization condition in which communication is established between the two chambers via the filtering device such that, when the can is subjected to the action of a heat source, the liquid contained in the lower chamber is transferred into the first chamber ( 38 ) by passing through the substance, to give rise to the formation of the beverage.

The present invention relates to a can for beverages, i.e. a containerof a material suitable for food use within which the beverages aresealed for preservation and large scale distribution to the finalconsumer, which, besides performing said preservation and large scaledistribution function for the foods contained therein, enables anextracted and/or infused beverage to be produced at the moment of use bythe said can, the thus formed beverage collecting within a cavity in theinterior of the can, to be consumed directly from it.

It has been statistically shown that coffee is one of the most consumedbeverages in the world, a coffee beverage being that beverage formedwhen ground coffee transfers to hot water the soluble and aromaticsubstances contained therein, both by the effect of extraction when thewater heated to a temperature close to its boiling point is passedthrough the ground coffee, and by infusion when a certain quantity ofground coffee is left for some minutes in water at a temperature closeto its boiling point.

In public premises such as hotels, cafeterias, refreshment rooms (forexample in offices and stations), this beverage is commonly produced byequipment of considerable size, known as “coffee machines” which requirethe presence of an operator.

In private houses this beverage is commonly prepared using equipmentknown as “coffee pots”, composed of relative parts; when required, theconsumer fills the appropriate parts with tap water and coffee powder,then assembles the parts, places the combination on a source of heat,awaits the formation of the coffee beverage and pours it into cups,finally separating the pieces of the combination and cleaning them toenable another beverage to be prepared.

Numerous small coffee machine are also available for household use,these reproducing on a small scale the coffee machines of publicpremises.

For many years the need has been felt by the consumer to be able toobtain the beverage when required, even if he has no coffee pot or largeor small coffee machine available; this happens mostly when the consumeris far from home, for example while travelling, when practising sports,or when far from inhabited centres.

In attempting to satisfy this requirement, powders instantaneouslysoluble in water have been marketed, such as that known by the trademark“Nescafe”, however the beverage obtained thereby does not satisfy thepalate of the consumer to the same extent as that produced by extractionor infusion. In any event, this makeshift solution doe not solve theproblem of overcoming the lack of water, a situation which can occur inparticular when the consumer is far from inhabited centres (for exampleduring excursions or in a boat), or even more so in countries in whichwater is not easily available or its drinking quality is uncertain.

In an attempt to overcome this drawback, cans containing an alreadyprepared coffee beverage have been marketed for same years, the finalconsumer heating them when required. However it is well known that thecoffee taste alters considerably as a result of subsequent heating afterthe cooling which the beverage has undergone on preparation, this beingshown by the poor distribution which such cans have encounteredcommercially.

An object of the present invention is therefore to satisfy the aforesaidrequirements while at the same time obviating the aforedescribeddrawbacks.

Another object of the present invention, of primary importance (and ofevident usefulness) even if expressed subsequent to the first statedobject, is to achieve a mass distribution (similar to that currentlyachieved for Coca Cola®) which enables any person wherever located,provided a heat source is available, to enjoy the invigorating andrefreshing properties of a true coffee beverage produced at that moment,while at the same time preserving those elements necessary for preparingthe beverage until the moment of their use.

A further object is to provide a can which, besides enabling a truecoffee beverage to be produced at the moment of need, can be arranged toalso produce other beverages obtainable from various substances byextraction and/or infiltration.

The aforespecified objects are attained according to the presentinvention by a beverage can, i.e. a container of the type commonly usedfor the preservation and large scale distribution of foods and intendedto be disposed of after use, said can comprising a side wall, a base anda lid, and allowing access to the foods contained in the can by removingor perforating the lid, characterised in that:

immediately below the lid there is a first chamber not initiallycontaining beverages ready for use, but intended to receive the finalbeverage, said first chamber being separated by a sealed baffle from asecond chamber which already contains, when the can is supplied to theuser, a suitable quantity of drinkable liquid;

said sealed baffle presenting a housing constructed to sealedly receivethe non-permeable portion of a filtering device consisting of anenvelope enclosing a suitable quantity of a substance able to produce abeverage by extraction and/or infusion and provided with a tube intendedto dip into the second chamber containing the liquid;

means being provided to enable the user to dispose the filtering devicein the utilization condition in which communication is establishedbetween the two chambers via the filtering device such that, when thecan is subjected to the action of a heat source by the user, the liquidcontained in the second chamber, on attaining a temperature close toboiling point, is transferred into the first chamber by passing throughthe substance contained in the filtering device, to give rise to theformation of the beverage.

The filtering device is preferably already contained in the firstchamber, even if not located in its position of utilization, it thenbeing brought into the utilization position by the user.

Different types of beverages formable by extraction or infusion can beobtained in the same manner using various substances such as groundcoffee and barley, tea, cocoa; said substances can be ground to a moreor less fine degree which can vary from very fine powders to pieces ofchopped leaves and can be mixed with other foods, for example powderedmilk, sugar; hereinafter the term “beverage” will always be used for thefinal liquid product and “substance” for that contained in the filteringdevice and able to give rise to the beverage. In the same manner thedrinkable liquid will most commonly be water, but can be replaced by orenriched with other liquids such as milk, to give rise to the formationof beverages other than coffee, such as cappuccino; the final liquidproduct will in all cases be known as the “beverage”.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first chamber,intended to receive the final beverage, forms one piece with the hollowchamber containing the liquid.

According to a variant of the invention, the first chamber forcollecting the beverage and the second chamber containing the liquidform one piece with each other and with a sealed baffle which separatesthem.

According to another variant of the invention, the first collectionchamber is bounded by a container of roughly cup shape with its mouthfacing upwards and having a shape and dimensions such as to be able tobe inserted within the side wall of the can to form, between saidcontainer and said side wall, an interspace within which when the can issupplied to the user there is already interposed a determined quantityof liquid; the container and the side wall of the can having at leastone perimetral region in contact and being sealedly joined together atleast in this region. It should be noted that in the described examplethose walls of the cup-shaped container adjacent to the interspace actas a separation baffle, the interspace forming the second chamber.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the can is provided with afiltering device to be inserted into a housing disposed for this purposeon the separation baffle, said housing being initially closed by animpermeable membrane. Said filtering device can be sealedly inserted bythe user into the housing such as to break the membrane and hence be inits working condition.

The filtering device consists of an envelope which is closed or isclosable in the manner of a capsule intended to retain the substance,one end of said envelope being provided with a tube intended to dip intothe interior of the second chamber containing the liquid, the other endof said envelope presenting at least one filtering region, i.e.permeable only to liquids so that the liquid, having passed through theground substance, can emerge into the first chamber acting as thecollection chamber; at least one portion of the non-permeable region ofthe filtering device is shaped to insertingly mate with the housingdisposed on said separation baffle, and vice versa.

If necessary, the stability and the seal of the filtering device at theperimeter of the housing in which said device has been inserted can beensured by suitable gaskets.

Conveniently, when the can is supplied to the user, the filtering deviceis already contained in the first collection chamber so that the user,having removed or perforated the lid, has access to said filteringdevice and can operate on it to move it into its final working position.Alternatively, the filtering device could be not already located in thecan, but instead accompany it, for example in a package containing a canwith a filtering device next to it.

Conveniently the filtering device already contains a determined quantityof substance when the can is supplied to the user. Alternatively, saidquantity of substance could be not contained in the filtering coffee butinstead could accompany it (for example suitably packaged within thecollection chamber), in which case the filtering device must be openableto enable the user to insert said substance into it. In particular thesubstance can be packaged within a permeable envelope (for example asachet of filter paper) insertable into the filtering device.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the means for putting thesubstance contained in the filtering device into communication at themoment of use with the interior of the mass of liquid contained in thesecond chamber comprise:

a tube forming part of the filtering device, one end of the tube beingfree;

a region of the sealed separation baffle pierceable by the free end ofthe tube by the intervention of the user;

and means for providing the outward seal between the second chamberalready containing the liquid and the tube when the can is in itsutilization condition.

According to a further variant of the invention, the means for puttingthe substance contained in the filtering device into communication atthe moment of use with the interior of the mass of liquid contained inthe second chamber comprise:

a housing disposed on the sealed separation baffle and consisting of acircumscribed region which can be opened by the user by lifting a tab orby piercing, such as to create a through hole between the second chamberalready containing the liquid and the first chamber intended to containthe final beverage, within which hole the filtering device can bereceived;

and means for providing the outward seal between the second chamberalready containing the liquid and that portion of the filtering devicewhich has been placed in the hole by the user.

The invention will be more easily understood from the ensuingdescription of two embodiments thereof given by way of example. In thisdescription, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical axial section through a first embodiment of the canof the invention, this can being in the condition in which it issupplied to the user;

FIG. 2 is a section similar to that of FIG. 1, but with the can in itsutilization condition achieved by the intervention of the user;

FIG. 3 is a partial section through a variant of the can of FIGS. 1 and2, in the condition corresponding to that of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows the same variant as FIG. 3, but in the conditioncorresponding to FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows a detail of another variant of the can of FIGS. 1 and 2;and

FIG. 6 shows a detail of another variant.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the can 10—indicated specifically by10A in the condition of FIG. 1 and by 10B in the condition of FIG.2—comprises an outer container 12 of cup shape and an inner container 14also roughly of cup shape, the inner container 14 being insertedconcentrically into the outer container 12. In the illustrated example,the two cups 12 and 14 are of a suitable material (for example aluminiumor plastic) to enable the relative upper edges to be turned over andclinched or welded together in conventional manner (as shownschematically in said figures), to obtain a seal between the two.Consequently a sealed intermediate chamber 16 is obtained, alreadycontaining a quantity of liquid (for example water). The inner container14, the walls of which also act in this case as the separation baffle,laterally and lowerly bounds an upperly open chamber 38 to act as thechamber for receiving the beverage produced in the can 10. As can beseen in FIG. 1, an upperly open coaxial duct 20 extends downwards fromthe base of the inner container 14 and is closed lowerly by a sealingmembrane (for example a sheet of aluminium of the type which closes themouth of certain toothpaste tubes).

As can be seen from FIG. 1, a tube 22 of a suitable material, forexample plastic, and forming part of a filtering device indicatedoverall by 24, is partially inserted by slight forcing into the duct 20.The tube 22 has an outer diameter such that to insert the tube 22 intothe duct 20 a force has to be exerted which besides serving to retainthe tube 22 in the duct 20 (the condition shown in FIG. 1), alsoprovides the required seal between the tube 22 and the duct 20.Consequently, by forcing the tube 22 of FIG. 1 downwards into the duct20, the user obtains the situation shown in FIG. 2 in which the lowerend (preferably shaped as a flute mouthpiece, as in said figures) of thetube 22 has pierced the sealing membrane 34 which closes the lower endof the duct 20. In addition to the tube 22, the filtering device 24 alsocomprises a hollow part shaped as a capsule 26 (substantially sphericalin the specific example) already containing a determined quantity ofsubstance 28 (for example ground coffee). The substance 28, which canalso be in the form of granules or powder, cannot descend into the tube22 because at its upper mouth, communicating with the interior of thespherical wall 26, there is provided a liquid-permeable baffle,indicated in FIG. 1 by 30 (for example formed from filter paper or asuitable mesh). As can be seen in FIG. 1, the spherical part 26 of thefiltering device 24 presents a series of perforations 32 in its upperpart so that the capsule is provided with a permeable region throughwhich the final beverage can emerge.

When the can 10 is supplied to the user (i.e. when he purchases it), thefiltering device 24 is in the condition 10A of FIG. 1, as stated.

It should be noted that the can 10 could remain in the condition 10A ofFIG. 1 even during use if the sealing baffle 34 is formed of a substanceable to dissolve following heating. In that case the intervention of theuser is limited to the operation of subjecting the can 10A to the actionof a source of heat. The same would apply if the sealing baffleconsisted of a membrane pierceable by the effect of the pressureincrease created within the second chamber containing the liquid 38 whenthe can is subjected to the action of a heat source; this membrane wouldevidently have a resistance to pressure less than that of the wall 16 ofthe chamber 38 and of the separation baffle 14, and also less than thatof the release pressure of the safety valve with which the can isprovided (and which will be described hereinafter). Again in this casethe intervention of the user is limited to the operation of subjectingthe can 10A to the action of a heat source.

The can 10A is conveniently provided with a removable lid 40; the edgeof this lid can be turned over and joined by clinching or welding to theedges of the two containers 12 and 14, the lid being for exampleprovided with a known ring (not shown) for tearing off the lid.Alternatively, the can could be provided with a common cover (forexample of plastic) 42 applicable by pressure to the upper edge of thecan 10. The can could also be provided with a further cover positioned(for example for hygienic reasons) above one of those already described.

As will be apparent from the aforegoing description, the can is ofextreme simplicity and very low cost (especially if constructed ofaluminium and/or plastic). This is important given that, as will beimmediately apparent, the can cannot be reused in practice, so that itis of disposable type, to be thrown away after use.

It should be noted that the term “can” is commonly used to define foodcontainers constructed of materials other than the tinplate formallyused for the originally named “tin cans”, provided that they aresuitable for food preservation, for example aluminium or plastic, hencein the present invention the can construction material is to beunderstood in the widest sense. For the same reason the term “can” alsoindicates containers of not exclusively cylindrical shape (for exampleparallelepiped).

Although apparent from the aforegoing description, a short descriptionwill now be given of the use of the can 10 for greater clarity.

As stated, the user purchases the can 10 in the condition 10A of FIG. 1.

When he decides to use it to obtain the relative beverage, the userafter removing any cover has merely to force the filtering device 24inwards with the fingers so that the tube 22, which has not yet beencompletely inserted into the duct 20, enters it as far as possible. Theresult is that the flute mouthed tip of the tube 22 pierces the sealingbaffle 34, until it arrives in proximity to the base of the outercontainer 12 (the can being now in the condition 10B of FIG. 2) so thatthe tube 22 dips into the mass of liquid (for example water) containedin the second chamber 16. The filtering device 24 is advantageouslyconstructed of a plastic material suitable for contact with foods butsufficiently rigid to enable the tube 22 to be forced into the duct 20,the forcing also ensuring the necessary seal between the tube 22 and theinner wall of the duct 20.

With the can in the condition 10B it need only be subjected to theaction of a heat source (for example by placing it on a flame or in amicrowave oven), until the liquid 18 contained in the chamber 16 boils,so that this liquid rises along the tube 22, passes through the mass ofsubstance 28 contained in the capsule 26, to leave in the form of abeverage from the perforations 32, and be finally collected in the innercontainer 14 which, as stated, acts as a collection chamber for thebeverage; at this point the user can also drink the beverage directlyfrom the can, as happens with other beverages (for example beer)commonly distributed in cans. When the beverage has been drunk or used,the can is disposed of.

It should also be noted that the can 10 can also be sold without thefiltering device being located in the position of FIG. 1, it simplylying in the inner container 14 if sufficiently large. In that case aclosure, for example a cover of the aforedescribed types, prevents theaccidental escape of the filtering device from the can upper aperturewhile at the same time preserving its aroma. As an alternative to theaforedescribed covers, but for the same covering purpose, the can couldbe wrapped in a packaging wrapping, for example in a sheet ofheat-shrinkable plastic). It should be noted that the filtering devicecan also be disposed on the outside of any cover. If the filteringdevice 24 is not already disposed in the position of FIG. 1, breakage ofthe separation baffle 34 can take place in a pierceable region 34, whichcan be pierced by other means instead of the lower end of the tube 22,and in particular by a plastic stick or pin with which the can may beprovided. Another variant is that shown in FIG. 5, in which the duct 220extends slightly above (portion 220A) a separation baffle 214, on theupper mouth of the portion 220A there being applied a sealing membrane234 which can be torn off by the user on utilization, this operationbeing facilitated by a gripping tab 235.

According to a particularly simple variant (FIG. 6) of the invention,the housing for the tube 22 and the pierceable region of the separationbaffle are obtained simply by centrally providing in the separationbaffle 314 a thin circular area 334 which is easily pierced by the tube22 or by other means.

According to a further variant of the can of the invention (shownpartially in FIGS. 3 and 4, but for the rest similar to that of FIGS. 1and 2), the larger diameter upper part of the tube 122 is externallythreaded, this thread being arranged to engage a female thread providedin the inner wall of the duct 120.

In FIG. 3 the filtering device 124 (which in this case is of ovoidalshape) is in the condition (that in which the can is supplied to theuser) in which only a part of the threaded portion of the tube 122 isscrewed (preferably slightly forced) into the duct 120.

When the user wishes to use this can, he merely screws the tube 122completely into the duct 120, with the result that the lower flutemouthpiece-shaped end of the tube 122 pierces the sealing membrane 134,to achieve the condition shown in FIG. 4, in which the lower end of thetube 122 dips into the liquid contained in the second chamber (notshown). This embodiment is appropriate both if the filtering device isformed of a suitable plastic material, so that by appropriately choosingthe dimensions and material of the tube 122 the seal can also beobtained between the tube 122 and the duct 120, and if a suitable metal(such as aluminium) is used or a plastic material which does not enablesaid seal to be obtained. However in this latter case a seal gasket suchas that indicated by 140 in FIGS. 3 and 4 must be used to provide theseal.

It should be noted that if in addition to the filtering device 24 or 124the two containers 12 and 14 are also constructed of an appropriateplastic suitable for contact with food, the can will not be suitable forplacing on a flame or an electric hotplate, but can be used by insertioninto a microwave oven.

Finally it should be noted that the can of the invention, andparticularly the second chamber already containing the liquid, can beconveniently provided with a safety valve. This latter can beconveniently positioned to vent into the first chamber acting as thecollection chamber. In this manner external projections are avoided sothat the can does not differ externally in its shape and appearance froma normal commercially available food can and can be treated and handledas such.

With regard to the substance to be used in the can of the invention toobtain the relative beverage, in addition to chopped or powderedsubstances, substances of gelatinous form (including in capsules) can beused, provided they are suitable for producing the required beveragewhen located in the filtering device.

1. A beverage can, i.e. a container of the type commonly used for thepreservation and large scale distribution of foods and intended to bedisposed of after use, comprising a side wall, a base and a lid, andallowing access to the foods contained in the can by removing orperforating the lid, characterised in that: immediately below the lid ofthe can (10) there is a first chamber (38) not initially containingbeverages ready for use, but intended to receive the final beverage,said first chamber being separated by a sealed baffle (14; 214; 314)from a second chamber (16) which already contains, when the can issupplied to the user, a suitable quantity of drinkable liquid (18); saidsealed baffle presenting a housing (20; 120; 220; 334) constructed tosealedly receive the non-permeable portion of a filtering device (24;124) consisting of an envelope enclosing a suitable quantity of asubstance (28) able to produce the required beverage by extractionand/or infusion and provided with a tube (22; 122) intended to dip intothe interior of the chamber (16) containing the liquid (18); means beingprovided to enable the user to dispose the filtering device (24; 124) inthe utilization condition in which communication is established betweenthe two chambers (38 and 16) via said filtering device (24; 124) suchthat, when the can is subjected to the action of a heat source, theliquid contained in the lower chamber (16) is transferred into the firstchamber (38) by passing through said substance (28), to give rise to theformation of the beverage.
 2. A beverage can (10) as claimed in claim 1,wherein the first chamber (38) is bounded by a container (14) with itsaperture facing upwards, said container (14) being dimensioned andpositioned within the side wall (12) of the can (10) such that betweensaid container (14) and said side wall (12), an interspace is formedconstituting the second chamber (16) adjacent to the first chamber (38)and within which when the can is supplied to the user there is alreadyinterposed a suitable quantity of liquid (18), said side wall (12) andsaid container (14) positioned within it having at least one perimetralregion in contact and being sealedly joined together at least in thisperimetral region.
 3. A beverage can (10) as aforedescribed in claim 1,wherein the lid (40) which closes the upper aperture of the upperchamber (38) intended to receive the beverage is independent of the canstructure.
 4. A beverage can (10) as aforedescribed in claim 1, whereinat least one other removable cover (42) is positioned above the lid(40).
 5. A beverage can (10) as aforedescribed in claim 1, wherein atleast a part of its components is constructed of plastic material.
 6. Abeverage can (10) as described in claim 1, wherein its constructionmaterials are suitable for use in a microwave over.
 7. A beverage can(10) as described in claim 1, wherein when the can is supplied to theuser, the filtering device (22; 124) is contained in the first chamber(38) which acts as the beverage receiver.
 8. A beverage can (10) asdescribed in claim 1, wherein the housing intended to sealedly receivethe non-permeable portion of the filtering device (24; 124) consists ofa pierceable region (334) of the sealed baffle (14; 314) into which saidnon-permeable portion of the filtering device can be inserted.
 9. Abeverage can (10) as described in claim 1, wherein the housing forsealedly receiving the non-permeable portion of the filtering device(24; 124) comprises a through duct (20; 120; 220) forming part of thesealed baffle (14; 114; 214), communication via said duct between theliquid (18) and the substance (28) contained in the filtering device(24; 124) being prevented, when the can is supplied to the user, by apierceable membrane (34; 134) or removable membrane (234).
 10. Abeverage can (10) as described in claim 9, wherein at least a part ofthe through duct (20; 120; 220) is threaded to engage a threaded portionof the filtering device (24; 124).
 11. A beverage can (10) as describedin claim 1, wherein a gasket (140) provides the seal between thenon-permeable portion of the filtering device (24, 124) and the housing(20; 120; 220; 334) in which said device is positioned when in its finalutilization condition.
 12. A beverage can (10) as described in claim 1,wherein when supplied to the consumer, the filtering device (24; 124)already contains a suitable quantity of a substance (28) which enablesthe required beverage to be obtained by extraction and/or infusion. 13.A beverage can (10) as described in claim 1, wherein the substance (28)which enables the beverage to be obtained by extraction and/or infusionis ground coffee.
 14. A beverage can (10) as described in claim 1,wherein the substance (28) which enables the beverage to be obtained byextraction and/or infusion is a soluble solid.
 15. A beverage can (10)as aforedescribed in claim 1, wherein the chamber (16) containing theliquid (18) is provided with a safety valve.
 16. A beverage can (10) asdescribed in claim 15, wherein the safety valve (36) with which thechamber (16) is provided vents into the interior of the upper chamber(38).
 17. A beverage can (10) as described in claim 1, whereincommunication between the chamber (16) containing the liquid (18) andthe substance (28) contained in the filtering device (24, 124) isprevented, when the can (10) is supplied to the user, by an edible heatsoluble membrane, the intervention by the consumer necessary to put thefiltering device (24; 124) in its utilization condition then consistingof subjecting the can (10) containing said filtering device (24; 124) tothe action of a heat source.
 18. A beverage can (10) as described inclaim 1, wherein communication between the chamber (16) containing theliquid (18) and the substance (28) contained in the filtering device(24, 124) is prevented, when the can (10) is supplied to the user, by amembrane pierceable by the pressure increase created within the chamber(16) when the can is brought into contact with a heat source, therupture pressure of the membrane being less than the release pressure ofthe safety valve (36), the intervention by the consumer necessary to putthe filtering device (24; 124) in its utilization condition thenconsisting of subjecting the can (10) containing said filtering device(24; 124) to the action of a heat source.
 19. A beverage can (10) asaforedescribed in claim 2, wherein the lid (40) which closes the upperaperture of the upper chamber (38) intended to receive the beverage isindependent of the can structure.
 20. A beverage can (10) asaforedescribed in claim 2, wherein at least one other removable cover(42) is positioned above the lid (40).